Smelting and refining furnace.



0. '1. T. e. R. MARTIN.

SMELTING AND BEFINING FURNACE. APPLICATION FILED JULY 28. 1917. 1,271,051. Patented July 2,1918

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

[/V v EN 75/7.

O. J. T. G. R. MARTIN.

SMELTING AND REFINING FURNACE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 28.1917.

1,27 1 ,05 l Patented July 2, 1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

NVE/V 727R. TTJJZ/TAZ/VAR ran @T'llfl JQSEPH THQMAS G'D'QTAVE BIGHARD IIIA'RTIN, F VANCQUV E134, @QLUIflBlE-l, CANADA.

$MEL'1'1NG AND REFENING FURNACE.

Application filed. July 28, 1917.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that l, @rro JosnrH THOMAS GUsTAvn RICHARD MARTIN, a subject of the certain new and useful Improvements in Smelting and Refining Furnaces, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in furnaces for the smelting and refining of all kinds of ore electrochemically, and the object of my invention is to provide a furnace of this nature which is simple and inexpensive to manufacture and operate and the use of which enables the full percentage of values to be recovered from the crude ore. A. further object is to devise a furnace which is capable of being constructed on both a large or a small scale, the small type being readily portable and of great utility to prospectors in the immediate proving of prospoets in districts remote from established large smelters, while the larger type provides a means for economic smelting and re fining.

l attain these objects by the construction illustrated. in the accompanying drawings in which- Figure l is an outside elevation of my furnace.

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the same.

Similar figures of reference indicate similar parts throughout the several views.

The furnace is constructed along the lines shown in Figs. 1 and 2 and consists of an outer shell 1 and an inner shell 2 spaced apart to provide therebetween an air space 3. The casing thus formed is divided into sections, which sections are secured together by hands a passing therearound and bolts 5 passed through the bands and the shell 1. Or in the smaller furnaces the sections may be detachably secured together by means of divided bands passing therearound, the divided ends being drawn together by a bolt and a thumb nut, as indicated at 6 in Fig. 1. The edges of each section where they abut each other are provided with a dovetail joint, as shown at 7 in Fig. 1.

The interior of the furnace is divided into three compartments the upper one of which 8 may be termed the disintegrating com- Specification of Batters Eatent.

Patented July 2, 1295 .8.

Serial No. leases.

partment, the intermediate one 9 the smelting compartment, and the lower one 10 the refining compartment. The compartment 8 is provided with a charging aperture 11 in the crown while at its lower end it communicates with the intermediate compartment 9 by means of a passage 12, which passage may be opened or closed by a valve 13 operated by means of'suitably mounted shafts 14 and 15 extending through the shell 1 and provided on their outer ends with sprockets 16 whereby they may be ac tuated to open or close the valve 13 by chains 17 carried down adjacent the base of the furnace.

The intermediate compartment 9 communicates at its lower end with the lower cornpartment 10 through a passage 18 which may be opened or closed by means of a valve 19 similar to valve 13 and operated by suitably mounted shafts 20 and 21, provided with handles 22, or if desired, sprockets and chains, as already described in the foregoing. A normally closed outlet 23, extending to the outside of the furnace, is pro vided, the inner end of which communicates with the lower end of the intermediate chamber, the purpose of which outlet will be described hereinafter.

The lower chamber 10 is provided with an outlet chute 24 extending to the outside of the furnace, and adischarge passage 25 is formed in the base, which passage is normally closed by a removable cover 66.

-The walls and passages of the several compartments, in fact, the interior lining of the furnace and also the valves 13 and 19, are formed of fire bricks 26 each of which is dovetailed into the other, as indi' cated at 27 in'Fig. 2. a

Each compartment is provided with slabs of carbon, indicated by the numeral 28,

these slabs being secured to the lining of their respective compartments by any suit-- pinion 33 operated by shaft 64 and handle 65 so that it, the terminal 31, may be carried into contact with, or separated from, the

terminal 30; There may be a number of terminals 30 and 31 in each compartment and each pair is connected to a suitable electric circuit, 32-33 being the wires for compartment 8, 3435 being the wires for compartment 9, and 36-37 the wires for compartment 10. The several wires, where they pass through the side of the furnace, are led through insulated tubes 38 of copper, bronze, or brass, and they may carry either direct or alternating current although direct current is preferable.

The space 3 acts as a cold air space between the two shells 1 and 2 and in order to provide for a regulated flow of air thereinto, cylinders, indicated generally by the numeral 39, are fitted, which cylinders. extend through the side of the furnace, as shown in Fig. 2, and each of which consists of an outer fixed. cylinder 40 and an inner cylinder 41 turnably mounted in the fixed cylinder. The outer end of cylinder 41 is extended to form a shaft 42 to which is socured a sprocket 43 carrying an operating chain 44, and each cylinder is provided with a row of perforations, those of the inner cylinder being indicated by the numeral 45, from which it will be seen that the cylinder 41 may be turned to bring its perforations to register partly or wholly with the perforations of the outer cylinder so as to admit air into the space 3, or to close the outer cylinder perforations entirely.

46 indicates chemical supply pipes for carrying the necessary chemicals into compartment 8, these pipes being connected to a suitable force pump (not shown) and provided with shut ofi valves 47 and the inside of the pipes is preferably lined with the same composition as that of which the bricks are formed. 48-49-and 50-.51 indicate outlets provided in chambers 8 and 10 respectively to permit the escape of gases therefrom, which outlets may be led to any suitable point for the collection of gases if it is desired to save the same.

The disintegration compartment 8 is provided'with a door 52 through which access may be had to the interior-when required while on the side of thesmelting compartment 9 is arranged a circular pane of mica 53 through which the conditions in the compartm'ent during operation of the furnace may be viewed. 54 indicates a revolving shutter, similar in construction to the well known type of revolving door ventilators, and adapted to permit or shut ofi access to the interior of the smelting compartment and through the openings of which, when opened, suitable chemicals may be'introduced into the compartment when required. For the purpose of indicating different levels of molten metal in the compartment 9 mica covered slots 55 a1 provided, as

shown in Fig. 1, these slots being suitably spaced at different heights on the side of the compartment.

A circular mica pane 56, similar to pane 53, is mounted on the outside of the refining compartment 10 so that the interior of the same may be visible, while rotatably mount- 7 ed on an axle 57 is a circular plate 58 having an opening therethrongh in which is secured a cup 59 having a cover 60, the interior of the cup being thus open to the interior of the compartment 10, so that a hollow iron rod may be introduced there-' into for the purpose of passing chemicals into the compartment. A glass tube 67 is provided on the outside of the furnace the interior of which tube at its upper end communicates with the interior of the disintegration chamber 8, entering at the bottom thereof, so that some of the ore when disintegrated will fall into and show in the glass, the lower end of which is closed.

Having thus indicated the principal parts of my'invention T will now describe briefly its operation.

The crude ore is first of all dumped into the disintegrating compartment 8 through the charging aperture 11, the'valve 13 being of course closed. The electric current is switched on to the circuit of which 32 -33 are the wires and the terminals 31 are moved to strike an arc with the terminals 30, so as to create an intense heat in the compart-v ment. A suitable chemical is then pumped into the compartment through pipes 46 whereupon the chemical action and intense heat will reduce the ore contents of the com partment to a powdered mass. This operation takes about a few minutes to com lete after which the valve 13 is opened an the powdered mass is allowed to fall into the smelting compartment 9, the valve 19 beingfirst of all closed. The current is then switched on to the circuit of which 34-35 are the wires and the arc struck between the terminals 30 and 31 of this compartment, creating therein also an intense heat. This intense heat brings the powdered ore to the melting point, when it may be run off in an unseparated state through the outlet 23, which is opened for that purpose.

If, however, it is desired to refine and separate the various metals which may bepresent in the ore the outlet 23 is left closed and the valve 19 is opened, allowing the molten ore to run into the refining compartment, which is heated to the sameheat and by similar means to that already described.

An iron tube containing a chemical, such as sulfur or any other fluxing element, is then inserted into the cup59 and passed molten material which has the efiect of separating the metals one from the other, as

into the com artment and directed on the I which the whole may be withdrawn through the chute 24. I

lVhat I claim as my invention is 1. In a smelting and refining furnace, a pair of super-posed compartments the upper one of which has an ore charging aperture in the crown and a discharge aperture in its lower end opening to the lower compartment, the lower compartment having a discharge outlet, both of said compartments being provided with means for subjecting their contents to intense electrical heat, means for opening and closing said discharge aperture, and means for indicating the height of various levels of the contents of the lower compartment.

In a smelting and refiningfurnace, a pair of super-posed compartments the upper one of which is adapted to receive crude ing through which the ore passes after treatment to the lower one, both of said compartments being provided with means for subjecting their contents to intense electrical heat, means for opening and closing said aperture, and means whereby the operation of the lower compartment is rendered visible.

3. In a smeltingand refining furnace, upper intermediate, and lower compartments superposed one above the other, the upper compartment having a charging aperture in the crown and a discharge aperture opening to the intermediate compartment, said intermediate compartment having a discharge aperture opening to-thelower compartment, said lower compartment having a discharge chute, all of said compartments being provided with means for subjecting their contents to intense heat, and means for opening and closing said discharge apertures.

4. In a smelting and refining furnace, upper, intermediate and lower compartments superposed one above the other and lined with heat resisting material the upper-compartment having a charging aperture in the crown and a discharge aperture opening to the intermediate compartment, said intermediate compartment having a discharge ore and having a discharge aperture open-' aperture opening to the lower compartment, said lower compartment having a discharge chute, all of said compartments being provided with means for subjecting their contents to intense electrical heat, means for introducing a suitable chemical charge into the upper compartment, meansfor opening and closing said discharge apertures, and inspection means for the. respective compartments.

5. In a smelting and refining furnace, upper, intermediate and lower compartments superposed one above the other and lined with heat resisting material, the upper compartment having a charging aperture in the crown and a discharging aperture opening to the intermediate compartment, said intermediate compartment having a discharge aperture opening to the lower compartment, said lower compartment having a discharge chute, all of said compartments being provided with means for subjecting their contents to intense heat, means for introducing a suitable chemical charge into the upper compartment, means for opening and closing said" discharge apertures, inspection means for the respective compartments, and normally closed accessgiving means on the intermediate and lower compartments whereby chemicals may be introduced into the interior thereof.

(3. In a smelting and refining furnace, superposed compartments having a communicating passage therebetween and means for opening or closing same, the upper compartment having a charging aperture, carbon slabs mounted on tllB'lllllBI walls of said compartments and spaced therefrom, one or more fixed carbon terminals in each compartment arranged between said slabs and said walls, one or more movable carbon terminals adapted to co-act respectively with the fixed terminals, said terminals being connected to suitable electric circuits, and means for operating the movable terminals.

Dated at Vancouver, B. C., this 21st day of July, 1917.

OTTO JOSEPH THOMAS GUSTAVE RICHARD MARTIN. 

